Peter joseph platt



(No Model.)

P. J. P LATT.

BOOK MARK. No. 512.747. Patented Jan. 16', 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT Erica.

PETER JOSEPH PLATT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO JACOBLORSCH, OF SAME PLACE.

BOOK-MARK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 512,747, dated January16, 1894,

Application filed April 1, 1893. Serial No. 468,710- (No model.)

To alt whom it may concern:

13 1t known that I, PETERJosEPH PLATT, a citizen of the United States,residing at New York city, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented new and HSBIlll Improvements in Book-Marks, of whichthe following is a specification.

This lnvention has for its object to provide a new and improvedbook-mark, wherein a clasp for grasping the edge of a book-cover or back1s provided with an attached elastic tape or band adapted to lie upon aleaf or page and be raised by the latter when it is turned and thenspring or fall back upon a succeed- 1ng page, whereby handling of thetape or band 1s avoided, and such tape or band constltutes a self-actingindicator or mark for showing, approximately, the point where a readerceases to read and lays aside or closes the book for future use.

To accomplish this object my invention consists 1 n the features ofconstruction and the combination or arrangement of parts herenafterdescribed and claimed, reference belng made to the accompanyingdrawings, in which- Figure 1, is a perspective view of an open bookprovided with my improved book-mark, one of the leaves and the tapeorband being lndlcatedby dotted lines in the position when the page 1sbeing turned by the reader, and Fig. 2, 1s a detail perspective view ofthe book-mark on a scale larger than that exhiblted by Fig. 1.

In order to enable those skilled in the art to make and use my inventionI will now descr be the same in detail, referring to the drawings,wherein- Tne numeral 1 indicates a clasp which, as here shown, iscomposed of asheet metal plate of substantially U-shaped form, withlongitud nal parallel slits 2, to provide elastic or sprlng fingers 3and 4, the finger 4 lying between the fingers 3 and in a plane lowerthan the latter so as to adapt the fingers 3 to lie against the innersurface and the finger 4 against the outer surface of abook-cover orback 5, as will be clearly understood by referenceto Fig. 1. The claspcan be economically manufactured by stamping or striking it up from aplate of thin sheet metal whereby the fingers are formed integral withthe body of the clasp. I do not, however, confine myself to thisparticular construction for obviously the clasp may be otherwiseconstructed to enable it to grasp the edge of a bookcover or back.

To the end of the clasp opposite the free extremities of the springfingers, is attached one extremity of an elastic tape or band 6, whichis preferably tapered with its greatest Width at the end which isattached to the body of the clasp. The extremity of the tape or band isheld in position through the medium of a lug 7 formed with the clasp anda rivet or pin 8, which passes through the lug, the tape or band and thebody of the clasp. When the spring fingers of the clasp are caused tograsp the top edge of the rear bookcover or back 5, the elastic tape orband will lie upon a leaf or page as indicated by full lines Fig. 1.When the leaf or pageis turned, as usual whena person has finishedreading the'front side of such page, the top edge of the leaf or pagewill lift or raise the tape or band, and as soon as the leaf is turnedsufficiently to free the tape or band, the latter will by its inherentelasticity and weight spring back or fall upon the succeeding page, sothat the tape or band indicates or marks the point, approximately, wherethe reader ceases to read, and closes or lays aside the book for futureuse. By this means it is possible to entirely avoid using the fingers tomanipulate or handle the tape or band and the latter constitutes aself-acting indicator or mark which will spring or fall upon successiveleaves or pages.

The characteristic feature of my invention which distinguishes it fromprior book-marks, resides in the elastic tape or band attached to aclasp and adapted to fall by its inherent elasticity or weight uponsuccessive leaves or pages. A mere string or cord which is inelastic, ordoes not possess in a sufficient degree 5 the necessary body, would notfulfill the conditions required, in that when raised when turning theleaf it would be carried to and fall outside the edge of the book. Thisis avoided by making the tape or band elastic IOO and to accomplish thebest results, it is preferable to construct the tape or bandof a flatstrip of india rubber which tapers or decreases in dimensions from itspoint of at- 5 tachment to the clasp and its free extremity. Theparticular construction of clasp described and shown, is very desirablein that it can be economically manufactured, and the elastic fingersrender it susceptible of engagro ing the edges of book-covers or backsof varying thickness.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim is- 1. A book mark,consistingof a metallic 15 plate formed at one end with spring fingers 3and 4 to grasp the edge of a book cover or back, and provided at theopposite end with a flexible and elastic tape or band arranged to lieupon a leaf or page and susceptible of 20 being raised by the leaf orpage when it is turned and then spring or fall back upon a succeedingpage, substantially as described.

2. A book mark, consisting of a metallic plate formed at one end withspring fingers to grasp the edge of a book cover or back, and z 5provided at the opposite end with a lug, and a flexible and elastic tapeor band clamped at one end by the lug, arranged to lie upon a leaf orpage and susceptible of being raised by the leaf or page when it isturned and go then spring or fall back upon a succeeding page,substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

PETER JOSEPH PLATT.

\Vitnesses:

'DANL. P. HAYS, L. N. HERSHFIELD.

